Dear Diary,
We spent our second night in Sioux City at the Bishop’s house, and tomorrow we will head home early so we can be back for Holy Mass at St. Mary’s on Sunday morning. It has been such a happy little stay, especially with our Reading Club meeting at the old Dairy Queen on Nebraska Street, with the old Central High standing proudly behind. Everyone enjoyed vanilla ice cream, and even Mini had her own little dish.
I read today’s chapter summary from Our Lady of Lourdes, about how the officials wanted to arrest poor Bernadette, but Father Peyramale stood firm and said they would have to pass over him before touching one hair of her head. Father LeRoy reminded us that this is what a true shepherd does—he protects the weak, even when the powerful stand against him. As evening settled in and fireworks blossomed across the Sioux City sky, I thanked God for faithful priests, for the freedom to practice our faith, and for another wonderful day with our Reading Club.
Evening Prayer
Dear Jesus, thank You for another peaceful night and for the kindness we have received during our stay. Give us the courage to stand for what is right, just as Father Peyramale did. Watch over us as we travel home tomorrow, bless our families, our country, and our little Reading Club, and bring us safely back to St. Mary’s for Holy Mass.
Amen.
Dear Diary,
We woke up in Sioux City this morning, which still feels strange to write.
Father LeRoy’s car needed something fixed, and since there was no reason to hurry home, Bishop Mueller kindly let us stay at his big house near Grandview Park. Father said it was a blessing disguised as a broken automobile, and I think he may be right.
After Holy Mass, we carried our books to Grandview Park. It was the most beautiful place our Reading Club has ever met. The bandshell stood white and grand beyond the flowers, and there were blossoms everywhere, bright as Sunday dresses. Mini settled in the grass like she owned the park, and Shaggycoat found the pond right away. He splashed so happily that Father said even beavers must sometimes give thanks in their own way.
We sat at our table with our books open, and Father asked me to read my chapter summary.
Today’s chapter was about the Prefect, Baron Massy, who came to Lourdes during the Council of Revision. Instead of seeing the faith of the people as something holy and consoling, he treated it like a public nuisance. He gave a speech to the mayors, saying that the Grotto had become an illegal oratory because people had left candles, religious objects, and offerings there.
The Prefect claimed to respect religion, but then ordered the police to remove everything from the Grotto. He also commanded that anyone claiming to see visions should be arrested and taken away for medical treatment. He wanted Bernadette stopped, the Grotto stripped bare, and the people frightened into silence.
The chapter says this happened on May 4, right at the beginning of Mary’s month. That made me sad. It seemed as if the Prefect was trying to begin the Month of Mary by taking away candles from Our Lady’s Grotto.
When I finished, nobody spoke for a moment. The flowers were moving in the breeze, and we could hear Shaggycoat splashing in the pond.
Then Robert said, “It sounds like he was afraid of candles.”
Father smiled a little and said, “Sometimes, Robert, men in power are not afraid of candles. They are afraid of what the candles mean.”
Sister Mary Claire said the poor people at Lourdes were not trying to rebel. They were only praying, leaving little signs of love, and drawing water from a place where God had given them hope.
Father said that faith gives poor people courage, especially when the world gives them very little else. He said that taking away someone’s place of prayer can wound the heart more deeply than people realize.
I looked toward the white bandshell and all the flowers, and I thought about the Grotto at Lourdes. It was not grand like Grandview Park, but Our Lady chose it. That made it beautiful in a way no one could take away.
Before we left, I read our prayer.
Dear Blessed Mother,
help us never to be ashamed of prayer.
Keep our hearts gentle, brave, and faithful,
even when others do not understand.
Teach us to love the little candles,
the quiet places,
and every sign that points us to God.
Amen.
Father made the Sign of the Cross and blessed us.
Then Bishop Mueller came by and said there was nothing pressing back home, and since Father’s car might take another day, we were welcome to stay a little longer. Father looked pleased, Robert looked very pleased, and Shaggycoat looked as if he had already decided the pond was his new parish.
So perhaps we will have another Reading Club meeting in Sioux City tomorrow.
I hope so.
Love,
Kathy
Dear Diary,
This morning after Holy Mass, Father LeRoy surprised us with wonderful news.
“I have to drive into Sioux City on an errand,” he said with a smile, “and I thought the Reading Club might enjoy coming along. My treat is lunch at the Normandy Restaurant.”
Everyone’s eyes grew wide. Even Mini tilted her head as if she understood every word.
Before long we were riding through the bright green countryside in Father’s old car. The rain had washed the fields clean, and everything looked fresh and sparkling.
When we reached the Normandy Restaurant, I could hardly believe how pretty it was. It looked almost like a little French castle, with its round stone tower, climbing ivy, and flowers blooming all around the entrance.
Father looked up at the blue sky and smiled.
“What a beautiful day,” he said. “Would you mind setting a table for us outside beneath the shade? I think our Reading Club belongs outdoors today.”
The hostess smiled warmly. “It would be our pleasure, Father.”
Soon we were seated at a round table under a great shade tree, with the Normandy gardens all around us. It felt like a very grand picnic.
Before lunch arrived, Father said, “Kathy, would you read today’s chapter summary?”
So I stood beside the table and read.
“Today’s chapter tells how two physicians were sent to examine Bernadette after Our Lady revealed her name. They expected to find something wrong with her, but instead they found a sensible, calm, healthy little girl.
Even though they could find no illness, they still suggested she might be imagining the visions, simply because they did not believe such things could happen.
Their report was then used by the Prefect as an excuse to plan Bernadette’s arrest and confinement. He also wanted the Grotto stripped of its offerings, and soldiers kept ready in case the people resisted.
It shows how dangerous it is when people refuse the truth because it does not fit what they already believe.”
Father LeRoy folded his hands quietly.
“The doctors admitted what they saw,” he said, “but they could not accept what it meant. Bernadette had nothing to defend except the truth.”
Robert nodded. “She was the only one who wasn’t trying to prove something.”
That made everyone smile, because it was true.
Then our lunch came—ham and cheese sandwiches, crisp potato chips, and cold milk. We ate slowly beneath the shade tree, with the flowers nearby and the warm city sounds drifting past us.
Before we left, Father asked me to read our prayer.
“Dear Jesus, give us humble hearts that love truth more than pride. Help us never to reject Your works simply because they are beyond our understanding. Teach us to trust You with simple faith, as Bernadette did. Amen.”
Father made the Sign of the Cross over us.
“In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
The ride home felt long and peaceful. The afternoon sun shone over the wet fields, and everyone was quiet for a while. I think we were all still thinking about Bernadette.
Sometimes the journey home is part of the lesson too.
Dear Diary,
This morning the grass behind St. Mary’s was wet and shining after more than an inch of rain fell in the night. But the sky was clearing, the air was cool, and everything smelled fresh and clean.
After Mass, we met under the apple tree for Reading Club. Since the ground was too wet, Robert helped Father LeRoy set up the little table for lunch. Father had brought egg salad sandwiches and cold milk, and Sister Mary Claire arranged everything neatly while Mini watched.
Then Father asked me to read my chapter summary.
“Today’s chapter tells how Baron Massy still refused to believe the events at Lourdes could be supernatural. Since the police and magistrates could not prove Bernadette was lying, he began to think of using the law about insanity against her.
The chapter explains how dangerous such a law could be. A person might be taken away and shut up if one or two doctors declared him insane, without a public hearing, without defense, and without appeal. The author says doctors are usually honorable, but even learned men can be mistaken when they have already decided that heavenly things are impossible.
This made me sad, because Bernadette was only a simple, truthful girl. She had harmed no one, yet powerful people were looking for ways to silence her.”
When I finished, Father LeRoy said that the world often fears holiness because holiness cannot be controlled. Sister Mary Claire said Bernadette’s strength was her simple truth. Robert said it was strange that grown men were so afraid of one little girl.
Then we gathered around the little table for Father’s sandwiches and cold milk. The lunch tasted extra good in the cool air, with raindrops still falling from the apple leaves.
Before we left, Father asked me to read the club prayer:
“Dear Jesus, help us love the truth, even when it is difficult. Help us be gentle and brave like Bernadette, and keep our hearts close to Our Lady. Amen.”
Then Father LeRoy made the Sign of the Cross over us and gave his blessing.
“In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.”
As the clouds moved away, I thought of Bernadette standing quietly before people who wanted to frighten her. I hope I can always tell the truth as simply as she did.
Love,
Kathy
Dear Diary,
This morning the rain had finally passed. The apple leaves still sparkled with tiny drops, the grass smelled fresh, and the whole churchyard seemed washed clean. After Holy Mass, our Reading Club gathered beneath the old apple tree. Robert had already set up a little folding table with neat stacks of ham and cheese sandwiches and a big jar of ice-cold Jersey milk. Sister Mary Claire arranged everything so nicely, and Mini settled beside the table, pretending not to notice the sandwiches.
Father LeRoy smiled and said, “Kathy, would you read today’s chapter summary?”
I stood up and read.
“Today’s chapter shows how hard everyone tried to explain away what was happening at Lourdes without believing God was involved. Police officers, government officials, doctors, and even a man who claimed he could hypnotize people all examined Bernadette. Nothing worked. She stayed calm, honest, and exactly the same.
A wealthy family even offered to adopt her and give her parents a fortune, but they refused because they loved their daughter more than money. The authorities could find no crime she had committed, yet some still wanted to lock her away simply because they could not explain her.
The more people questioned Bernadette, the brighter her simple truth seemed to shine.”
When I finished, Father LeRoy folded his hands for a moment before speaking.
“Kathy,” he said, “truth has a quiet strength. Bernadette never argued, never tried to impress anyone, and never changed her story. She simply told the truth and left the rest to God.”
Robert nodded and added, “If she had been making it up, somebody would have found the mistake. Instead, every test seemed to make her story stronger.”
That made me think. Sometimes we imagine we must always have clever answers for everything. Bernadette teaches the opposite. A pure heart and an honest life can be stronger than the smartest arguments. She never defended herself with big speeches. She simply trusted God to defend the truth in His own time.
After our discussion we gathered around the little table and enjoyed the ham and cheese sandwiches with wonderfully cold Jersey milk. Everything tasted especially good in the cool air after the rain. Mini patiently watched every bite, hoping someone might accidentally drop a tiny piece which, of course, Robert did. I don’t think it was an accident.
Before we left, Father asked me to read our club prayer.
“Dear Jesus, give us hearts as simple and faithful as Bernadette’s. Help us to love truth more than praise, to choose honesty over comfort, and to trust You even when others do not understand us. May we never be afraid to stand quietly with You. Amen.”
Father LeRoy traced the Sign of the Cross over all of us.
“In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Go in peace.”
As we walked home beneath the bright blue sky, the clean air smelled of wet earth and apple blossoms. Everything seemed fresh after the rain. I think God sometimes lets the storms pass so we can better appreciate the sunshine He was preparing all along.
Dear Diary,
This morning after Mass, our reading club met under the apple tree behind St. Mary’s, though the sky looked ready to rain. The clouds were low and gray, and Father LeRoy kept glancing upward.
Robert came hurrying across the grass a little late, carrying a croissant box from the Breakfast Club and a jar of cold Golden Rule Jersey milk.
“Well,” Father said, “late arrivals are forgiven more quickly when they bring breakfast. But we had better not waste time.”
Sister Mary Claire spread the napkins while Robert passed around the croissants and Father poured the milk. We ate quickly because the air already felt heavy and damp.
Then Father nodded to me.
“Kathy, will you read your chapter summary?”
So I stood by the apple tree and began.
“Today’s chapter is about something that seemed small at first but became very important. While the miracles at Lourdes were taking place, the Prefect, Baron Massy, decided he wanted new stables for his horses. Instead of choosing a proper place, he built them on consecrated ground near the Cathedral, where priests and noble families had been buried.
Monseigneur Laurence was deeply troubled. He said the dead should be left in peace, and the people praying in the Cathedral should not have to hear horses nearby. But the Prefect would not admit he was wrong.
At last the Bishop protested firmly. After many months, the stables were torn down, and grass grew again over the cemetery. But the friendship between the Bishop and the Prefect was broken. The chapter teaches that even small wrongs can lead to great trouble when pride refuses correction.”
When I finished, the wind moved through the apple leaves.
Father LeRoy said, “Pride does not like to be corrected, even when it is standing on holy ground.”
Sister Mary Claire said the Bishop showed courage and patience. Robert said it was strange how a stable could become part of the Lourdes story.
Then the first drops tapped the leaves. Father said we had better close at once, so I read the prayer:
“Dear Jesus, keep pride far from our hearts. Help us to respect what is holy, to listen when we are corrected, and to choose peace instead of stubbornness. Bless our reading club, our parish, and all who are trying to follow You. Amen.”
Father LeRoy lifted his hand and blessed us.
“In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. May Almighty God bless you and keep you, and bring you safely home. Amen.”
No sooner had he finished than the clouds let loose. We gathered our books and napkins in a hurry.
Robert shouted, “To the pickup!”
Sister Mary Claire held her veil with one hand and my book with the other. Father tucked the empty croissant box under his arm, and Mini ran ahead as if she had been waiting for the signal.
We sprinted across the wet grass to Robert’s pickup, laughing and slipping a little. The rain drummed on the roof, and the apple tree disappeared behind a silver curtain of water.
It was a short meeting, but I will remember it. Sometimes God sends the lesson, the blessing, and the rain all in the same morning.
Love,
Kathy
Dear Diary,
This morning after Holy Mass, our Reading Club met under the apple tree behind St. Mary’s. Father LeRoy opened with the Sign of the Cross, then asked me to read my summary.
“Today’s chapter is about Henry Busquet, a fifteen-year-old boy who was terribly sick. He had a dreadful sore on his neck and chest, and nothing the doctor tried could heal him. Henry wanted to go to Lourdes, but he was too weak, so a neighbor brought him water from the spring.
That night Henry and his family knelt and prayed to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Then Henry washed his sores with the Lourdes water and went to sleep full of hope. In the morning, his pain was gone, the sores were closed, and the swellings had disappeared. The doctors said the cure could not be explained by nature.
Henry stayed well. Years later he was strong, working as a plasterer and singing while he worked. He never forgot that he owed his life to Our Lady.”
When I finished, everyone was quiet. Father said Henry’s simple faith was beautiful. Sister Mary Claire said Our Lady’s kindness reached even the sick who could not come to the Grotto.
Then Sister brought out blueberry muffins made from berries from their garden. Robert had picked up a half gallon of Jersey milk and packed it in ice so it would be extra cold. What a treat!
Before we left, Father asked me to read the closing prayer.
“O Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the sick and sorrowful, help us trust in Jesus with simple hearts. When we are weak, bring us near to Him. When God gives us any grace, help us never forget to thank Him. Amen.”
Father blessed us and dismissed the club.
I kept thinking of Henry singing from the scaffolding. Maybe gratitude has its own music.
Love,
Kathy
