Our accomodation a B & B in the middle of the country side, a recently renevated 400 year old farm house where we will be based for the week while we visit vairious sites around Normandy.
Typical Normandy weather with sun obscured by heavy cloud. Our accomodation with small lacke (dam) out the front of the house.
But the best thing about it is that it has a fireplace. Even though Rome is warming up it is still Australian Winter like in Normandy.
Just down the road on the side of the road, from where we are staying is a lovely little shrine dedicated to St Bernadette and Our Lady of Lourdes.
Today we set off to a monastery called Abbey Lucerne, which is an old monastery that is currently being restored to function as a spiritual and cultural center, where people can go for retreat and studying to become closer to God. Situated in the lush Normandy countryside away from any townships it has a natural serenity it's about it already.
The Abby nave is vey austere.
The church makes use of the natural surrounds and and brings in light to what other wise would be a very dark space by having a large clear window behind the altar and also the side chapel.
Fr Bijoy read about this monastery in the NCR magazine and was keen to visit and if possible co-celebrate mass with the priests. The priest's were very accommodating and also invited deacon Richard to assist and myself and Stephen to join in the choir.
Me, Decon Richard, Fr Henry, Fr Bijoy, Stephen, Fabian (local)
The property has other buildings on it that were used to house Benedictine monks but now are available to the public to come and stay for retreats. They are looking for families to come and live hear as well to build a community. Fancy moving to France ?
The prespertry where Fabian invited us to lunch after mass where were treated to local cheeses, cold meats, bread and wine . Merci Beaucoup Fabian.
After lunch we returned to the chapel for afternoon prayers and left for home. We stopped at a local town on the way to buy some groceries to cook dinner and prayer for tomorrow's journey to Mont St Michel.
A move to France sounds nice!