I live with heroes

Last night, around 10:30pm in the chapel downstairs I overheard one of the Priests say to another Priest something to the effect of "Now are you sure you're ok taking the 2-4am slot?" (the one he had spoken to had just returned from a week and a half long mission in Ireland)

"Yes, I need a bit of prayer time."

"You're absolutely sure?"

And so it was... a bit of prayer time.

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My trip this previous weekend didn't end in Ars but moved forward towards Paray le Monial; the apparition site where Our Lord revealed His Sacred Heart to the world through St. Margaret Mary.  We weren't there long; only 3 or 4 hours.  But it was worth it especially to Fr. Sean who said it is probably his favorite place on earth to pray.  There are such tremendous graces there that he and other members of the community love to go on week long pilgrimages there and literally spend almost the whole day in the adoration chapel.  The chapel is there because our community's founder, Fr. Florian Racine, preached a mission there a few years ago establishing perpetual Eucharistic adoration.  These reasons and the fact that Paray le Monial was the "birthplace" of the Missionaries of the Most Holy Eucharist on July 17th 2007 it is a special place for us.

Here are some pictures I took.

(Above)

The remains of St. Claude de la Columbierre, spiritual director for St. Margaret Mary 

(Above)

Chapel with stained glass depicting St. Aloyisius Gonzaga (who died as a Jesuit seminarian) appearing in apparition to St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi, a great Carmelite mystic from Spain. 

 (Above)

St. Margaret Mary Alacocque entombed in the chapel where Jesus appeared to her

(Above)

Closer shot of the detail of the stained glass of St. Alyoicius (a patron Saint for seminarians.)

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So I get to live with Priests who pray incessantly, preach profoudnly, love intentionally. I get to visit Saints and ask for their intercession that I might imitate their imitation of Christ. I get to live in a house where Jesus Christ Himself, the Savior of the world, lives in the Eucharist within our chapel.

I live with heroes.