Exit Week, some difficult goodbyes and Summer Lourdes part 1

Hi everyone!

I hope you are all well and enjoying the summer break 🙂 Some of you may have noticed I decided to have a bit of a layout change once again. I just thought something different to mark this transition period would be a good idea. So apart from the new look, an apology. I know this blog is once again overdue, but at least it’s not half a term late like the last one was. This is the first week all summer that I’ve finally found the chance to sit and type. I’ve also promised Sarah Barber that I’ll try and complete a post by tomorrow just for her. So here goes, please bear with me!

So, 15th July dawned. With it, Jade’s 19th birthday and the beginning of Exit Week. Needless to say, there were mixed feelings in the house that morning, particularly as Aisling was now well into her Brazilian World Youth Day adventure and wouldn’t be able to join us. Before long, excited shouts were coming from the birthday girl’s room, as she had opened the door to find a helium balloon outside. This was the beginning of the birthday celebrations, and after morning prayer we headed off for our final Emmaus walks of the year. If anyone’s wondering, yes I did learn my lesson from the Walsingham Walk and stock up on sun cream. I did, however, make a major clothing error. For some reason, I’d thought jeans were the best bet for the day’s adventures. I realised my mistake early on, but too late to do anything about it. My reasoning had been that I didn’t want to get covered in mud in my lighter coloured clothes. Perhaps I should have taken the risk after all… Any team reading this will probably agree. 

Anyway, we headed off towards Leigh, stopping at Hadleigh Castle in the Salvation Army cafe for some lunch. It was a great chance to spend time with each team member and just discuss whatever we wanted, or failing that, to walk in companionable silence. Did I mention the route we took was the same as our first walk, and therefore incorporated serious inclines and some scary verges. Thankfully, Jade, Joe and Michael came to my rescue to pull me up or guide me down and I managed virtually unscathed. On arrival in Leigh, we stopped in the pub and appreciated what scarce shade there was along with a cold, celebratory drink. After a mad dash to buy banana ice cream, we headed back on the train to a wonderful BBQ, where we were joined by Sara and Aiden to continue our celebrations. 

Day two brought with it another birthday (and a mad dash to the shop to purchase a helium balloon). Joe, the baby of the team, was finally 19. We celebrated with a wonderful cooked breakfast before beginning our reflection day. This was a particularly draining part of our week, involving a sharing sheet, evaluation and affirmations. Although this was an emotionally draining time, it was also wonderful to gather together, share memories and appreciate each other once again. Affirmations, however, proved too much for me, reducing to a complete wreck during the sign of peace (sorry everyone!) After some recovery time, there was an opportunity to celebrate Joe’s birthday. A 2012-13 calendar was the theme, with each team member taking a month and providing a relevant activity. Jon was once again the star of the kitchen, and a lively game of I Can Name was a source of great competition between Joe and Rory! 

Wednesday was cleaning day, but this time, the entire team were on hand to help. White House cleaning day was made easier by the weekend spent slaving over our bedrooms in the heat, and it was only the communal spaces that needed attention. So team of 2013-14, we took great care  to make sure the house was spotless for you, don’t you worry. After this pretty impressive feat was complete, we celebrated another birthday. Aiden’s 2nd birthday party involved a paddling pool, lots of splashing and many many toys. He absolutely loved it! Next was the Last Supper, our final treat courtesy of a fantastic idea by Jon. Joined by Fr. James and Sara, we headed back to St Bernard’s (well almost, the restaurant was nearby) to enjoy some absolutely incredible Greek cuisine. We tried so many dishes, but I have to say the lamb was incredible and not to be missed. So Akropolis is definitely a top recommendation from me. If the food wasn’t enough, the music was also incredible too. Ian, I can definitely see you doing something similar one day! Completely full up, we returned to the house where the madness of the White House continued into the next morning. Leighton attempted to cure my leaving blues by placing me on Olivia’s bike and telling me to pedal. Thankfully, the bike was still in one piece afterwards and so was I (but only because Leighton held me up to disguise my horrendous balancing skills – which any close friend or family member reading this knows well!)

After not many hours sleep, the final night in the White House turned into the final few hours. Everyone was feeling similarly subdued, so we did our best to keep the mood up. After a breakfast of some lovely pastries, with Aiden providing entertainment, the first goodbyes to Sara and Aiden were due. Poor Aiden didn’t quite understand what was happening and was a bit upset by this strange event. The rest of us were gearing ourselves up for the final Mass, during which I think I read the longest reading EVER and got slightly confused by some of the names and events in it… Never mind! It was a lovely Mass to share with each other and our families with Ian showing his musical talents and everyone participating with enthusiasm. After some refreshments, it was time to go. As the first to arrive on 2nd September, I was the first to go. After establishing everyone was in the room, I said goodbyes. Even the promise of seeing everyone on Saturday on the way to Lourdes didn’t make this moment any easier. I felt completely lost at home, setting the table for three wasn’t normal for a start! After unpacking, I realised I was soon set to pack again for Lourdes. The last two weeks seemed like a complete packing frenzy and wasn’t going to end yet!

Before long, it was time to leave for Lourdes. Sophie’s Mum came to collect me, and we were off to Brentwood. After establishing all the team and all the Stansted contingent were definitely there, the coaches started to depart for Dover. Blue Coach was definitely full of excitement, but I have to admit I did experience a certain amount of nerves. Summer was going to be very different to Easter, and I was wondering whether I would live up to the role as a Year 13 leader. Boarding the ferry, I was given my first official Leader’s lanyard and enjoyed the celebrations and some food on board. Back on the coaches, it was an overnight drive through France, during which I think I did manage some sleep, despite some more excitable coach passengers attempts to stop us! The next morning, we stopped for an hour or so, and Sophie, Clare How and I enjoyed some competitive games of Go Fish or Allez Poisson as we were now in France! We continued the journey, and it was a relief to finally arrive in Lourdes. However, the shock of the impact of the floods was almost immediate as we drove towards the hotels, as we noticed many of them closed for the rest of the season. It was particularly sad to see the St Contard closed, after an amazing stay there at Easter. Before long, however, I was appreciating the luxury the Year 13 groups were living in at the Hotel Lorda. Air conditioning was certainly welcome after a long coach journey. Fully prepared in Brentwood Blues, I headed downstairs to meet the group, including my small group for the week. Fr Dom and Jen introduced the week and it wasn’t long before my group was sent on their first service of the week, to Lourdes Airport. There, we met Bishop Thomas and the many diocesan pilgrims off the flight from Stansted. I was particularly delighted to see Isaac who had also travelled to his first Summer Lourdes after sharing an amazing Easter with him. After a coach journey back to the hotels, we made it just in time for our first diocesan Mass and afterwards enjoyed a social opportunity with the Year 13s. A very busy beginning to the pilgrimage, but so much more to come as the week progressed.

Which is where I’ll stop, for now. Nothing like leaving it on a cliffhanger! Let’s see if I can get part two finished by tomorrow as well Sarah… Stay tuned for more Lourdes adventures!

Love Katharine xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx