Stone by Stone

Dear Diary,

Today our Reading Club was back in its usual place under the apple tree beside St. Mary’s.

Sister Mary Claire brought vanilla ice cream and a can of Hershey’s chocolate syrup. She poured the chocolate over our dishes in great dark ribbons, and it was about as good as anything could be on a warm August day.

Mini received her own little dish of plain vanilla.

She had no complaints whatsoever.

When everyone was settled, Father asked me to read the short chapter summary.

I told the club that Bishop Laurence, acting for the Church, purchased the Grotto, the surrounding land, and the Rocks of Massabielle from the town of Lourdes. Mayor Lacadé helped arrange the sale, and M. Rouland approved both the purchase and the building of a church there in memory of the Apparitions.

Soon the great sanctuary began rising stone by stone above the Grotto.

But while the church was being built, devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes was spreading far beyond Lourdes itself. People in cities, villages, and lonely country places called upon her, and many reported remarkable favors and cures.

The author said that before finishing his story, he wanted to tell us about two more extraordinary events. One of them had happened to him personally and had remained in his memory for many years.

Robert said, “It must have been something pretty important if he saved it for almost the very end.”

Father nodded. “Sometimes the things closest to us are the hardest to write about.”

Sister Mary Claire said she liked the thought of the church rising one stone at a time while devotion to Our Lady was spreading everywhere at the same time.

I looked up through the apple leaves and thought about how slowly we had been reading this book, one chapter at a time, all summer long.

Then Father said, “We are getting very close to the end of our story.”

Nobody said anything for a moment.

I think we had all grown rather fond of Bernadette, the Grotto, the spring, and even all those officials who seemed to spend so much time arguing about everything.

Father smiled and added, “So we had better begin thinking about what book the Reading Club will take up next.”

Robert immediately said he had several ideas.

Of course he did.

Mini had finished her ice cream by then and was licking the dish so carefully that I think she would have voted to continue any book at all, provided Sister kept serving refreshments.

When it was time to leave, Father asked us to bow our heads.

He thanked God for Our Lady of Lourdes, for Bernadette’s faithfulness, and for all the good that had come from the little Grotto at Massabielle. Then he asked God to guide our Reading Club as we came to the end of one story and prepared to begin another.

Father gave us his blessing.

The apple leaves rustled overhead, Mini stretched out in the grass, and I looked around at everyone sitting there together.

I think I am going to be a little sorry when this book is finished.

Kathy