Humanity’s Eternal Destiny
The Immaculate Virgin, preserved from all stain of original sin, was taken up, body and soul, into Heavenly Glory, when her earthly life was over, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of Lords, and conqueror of sin and death.
— Second Vatican Council
It’s Fri morning and we are in Prado Nuevo. We slept until 9 AM. and it took us almost 2 hours to have café and get going.
We were first going to the Foundation where the home for the elderly and the sisters who take care of them. This is favorite stop as many of the residents remember us from previous years. We saw several and several were missing. Sister Mercedes told us that 6 had died during the past year. When we got there our friend Consuela met us and a little while Fr. Guillermo’s father, Tony arrived. Lots of hugs and kisses as this is our family in Spain. Sam had met everyone last year so he is now part of the family.
We spent almost 2 hrs. there and we took Sam to the chapel where the original statue of Our Lady of Prado Nuevo is kept. Her beautiful face was hacked by 3 people many years ago. Afterwards the statue shed tears for 8 days and several of the sisters we know witnessed it.
Editor’s note: click here for our web page on the story of Prado Nuevo
Sam went up to say a prayer and then asked for a photo to be taken, visibly shaken, as he turned around he knocked over a flower vase. He was beside himself but sister Mercedes calmed him down. He is going to buy flowers today.
Consuela had to get back to Madrid but we will see her again tomorrow and Sunday for dinner at her house. We planned to meet Tony at 5 PM at the shrine for the Rosary and mass later today. More hugs and kisses and we left to find a place for lunch since we skipped breakfast.
Back at the apartment Sam and I went to get laundry soap and some fresh bread for our European dinner later, an assortment of meat and cheeses, fresh bread, olive oil and Dijon mustard…..washed down with a glass of wine or two.
We got back just after they started the Rosary, in front of the ash tree where Our Lady first appeared, and joined in after a quick hug from Carmen, Tony’s wife. We finished our rosary at the end when they say lots of prayers and we haven’t got a clue what they are praying but it’s beautiful.
We all walked up the hill to the chapel for mass and we were surprised when Fr Juan Carlos came out to preside. He kept looking at us smiling. At the beginning of his homily he acknowledged us as pilgrims from America and thanked us for being there and in English he asked if we understood (well, not really, but of course we said yes and thanked him back)………Confession is tomorrow at 10 AM!
After mass we waited for Fr. Juan and it was so good to see him. He is such a gentle person and very holy and his English got a little better. We will see him again in the morning at benediction and adoration.
Lots of hugs and kisses again and we departed. A quick bite to eat and I was off to bed around 10. Sam and Susan sat up till 11, that’s what they told me in the morning. That all I remember.
May God continue to bless all of you
Love
Susan & Tom & Sam
