From Paray le Monial to Ars sur Forman and La Salette

It is another rushing day. We had a little time to visit the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the Chapel of the Apparition, again and the Church of St Claude de la Colombiere. I entered the Society of Jesus in 1986 on 15th February, the feast day of then BLESSED Claude. He has since been canonised by Pope John Paul II. In 1992. After the visit of these three sacred places, we made our way to Ars sur Forman—the famous town with Saint John Mary Vianney served almost the whole of his priestly life. We celebrated Mass ad orientem at the altar above which is reposed the incorrupt body of the Cure d’Ars. I also managed with some difficulties to procure some beautiful things for our parish.

Laudato si-ish kind of flower pots. The first one looks small but in the second picture you get a scale of how big it is. We can perhaps have these made for our parish to surround it with some leafy plants to create a sort of micro-environment... in the effort to mitigate the heating of the concrete surrounding the Cathedral.

The interior of the romanesque basilica of the Sacré Cœur. The view is from the nave to the apse.

The entire Basilica has only 1 side chapel which is Gothic in its architecture. It would definitely be nice if we could have a shrine such as this with the pietà and the intricate gothic features.

The Church of St Claude de la Colombiere. You can make out his skull...

The tabernacle of the same church with a depiction of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

We left Paray le Monial at 10 this morning (30th Sept) and made for Ars sur Forman.

A view of the basilica from a short distance.

A bust of St JMV and a view of his room.

But, just our misfortune that Monday many of the shops selling liturgical accessories are closed on Mondays. However, we managed to find one within the sanctuary of Ars which had rather limited choices available. And just outside the liturgical supply shop, is a tiny chapel where people come to pray for their priests.

We celebrated Mass ad orientem at the altar under the reliquary that contains the incorrupt body of St John Mary Vianney. The chairs all face the main altar whereas the reliquary is in the side chapel. Quite an uncomfortable posture to face sideway whilst Mass was going on.