Freedom to Pray

Dear Diary,

After Holy Mass today, we all met beneath the apple tree behind St. Mary’s. The leaves made dancing shadows across our books, and Mini settled beside me as Father asked me to read my chapter summary.

Today’s chapter told how the government continued to block the Grotto, even though the cures from its waters could not be denied. No disorder had taken place, and no one had been harmed. Still, barriers were raised and guards were posted, as though prayer itself were something dangerous.

Robert said, “If Bernadette had only discovered a useful mineral spring, the officials probably would have given her a medal.”

Sister Mary Claire nodded. “But because people knelt and prayed before drinking, the authorities called it superstition.”

Father said that true freedom must include the freedom to believe, to pray, and to ask God for help. He reminded us that the Church had not yet made an official judgment about the Apparitions, but the government had already judged against them without a fair examination.

Then Father closed his book and said, “We should be getting ready to leave Lourdes. We are nearing the end of our book.”

That made us all rather quiet and sad. It seems as though we have truly been traveling with Bernadette these many weeks. But Sister smiled and said, “Another good story will pop up just when we need it.”

For our treat, Sister brought soda crackers again, but this time Robert had a new chocolate-and-hazelnut spread called Nutella. We spread it between two crackers and voted on it immediately.

“Triple A!” Robert announced.

We all agreed—even Father. Mini received a plain cracker and appeared to give that a triple A rating too.

Before we left, I read our closing prayer:

Dear Lord, help us always to defend the freedom to love You, to pray to You, and to follow the truth without fear. Keep us faithful when others misunderstand us, and teach us to trust Your wisdom in all things. Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us. Amen.

Father gave us his blessing and dismissed the Reading Club. As we walked away beneath the apple branches, I felt sad that our journey through Lourdes was nearly finished—but also curious about where our next book might take us.

Good night, dear Diary.

Kathy