{"id":36,"date":"2015-09-29T20:32:00","date_gmt":"2015-09-29T20:32:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/labmind\/2015\/09\/saint-michael-devotion-and-memories.html"},"modified":"2016-03-25T17:19:45","modified_gmt":"2016-03-25T22:19:45","slug":"saint-michael-devotion-and-memories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/labmind\/2015\/09\/saint-michael-devotion-and-memories.html","title":{"rendered":"Saint Michael Devotion and Memories"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>
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My devotion to Saint Michael the Archangel began the summer of 2000, the same year I graduated from high school. \u00a0During that summer I participated in an exchange program where I stayed with a French family in the beautiful town of Loches (near Tours). \u00a0One of the weekend trips scheduled as part of the exchange program was a visit to the Abbey of Mont Saint Michel in Normandy. \u00a0Located in a breath-taking setting, the monastery sits on top of a small island about half a mile from the French coast. \u00a0For centuries, the island was only accessible during low tide when the ocean totally receded, unveiling the ocean floor and allowing pilgrims to cross.<\/div>\n

I was struck by the beauty and peace of the place. \u00a0For thirteen centuries monks had prayed on this island. \u00a0I had never felt so close to God as when I walked across the cloister from where there was a commanding view of the ocean below.<\/p>\n

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The cloister, below a view of the Abbey\u2019s shadow as seen from the cloister<\/div>\n
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I bought a medal and learned the Prayer to Saint Michael. \u00a0I began to pray it occasionally. \u00a0When college started I would pray it almost daily before going to bed.<\/p>\n

During my sophomore year in college the Lord made it evident to me that I needed to change course in my life. \u00a0I made one of the most difficult decisions of my life, even though I made it with great peace. \u00a0I applied to seminary. \u00a0Without planning it, it was on September 29th, 2001, the Feast of Saint Michael (and the other archangels), that I drove home and told my family I wanted to go to seminary. \u00a0That I felt called to be a priest. \u00a0I am convinced, by this and many other happenings, that Saint Michael played a crucial role in my answering God\u2019s call.<\/p>\n

Years of seminary studies followed after and on April 2006 I had the opportunity to return to Mont Saint Michel. \u00a0This time not as a visitor, but as a pilgrim. \u00a0Not as a tourist, but as a retreatant.<\/p>\n

I arrived on a cool afternoon to the train station of Pontorson 5.5 miles from the Abbey. \u00a0Outside the deserted station I found the bus schedule. \u00a0There were only two daily buses to the Abbey and I had just missed the first one. \u00a0The next one was at night. \u00a0I decided to walk.<\/p>\n

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My first sighting of the Abbey (on the horizon, right in the middle)<\/div>\n

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Finally approaching<\/div>\n
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As I walked along the road from Pontporson towards the sea I spotted the Abbey a long distance away. \u00a0I slowly but surely approached it. \u00a0The more I walked the more I identified with the thousands of pilgrims who had walked this very same path throughout the centuries towards the beautiful Abbey. \u00a0After about two hours I crossed onto the village and began my ascent through the village\u2019s one street towards the Abbey. \u00a0I quickly found myself standing before imposing wooden doors. \u00a0I had reached my destination and the walk had been well worth it. \u00a0I rang the doorbell. \u00a0I knocked on the door. \u00a0I sat down and waited.<\/p>\n

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Five minutes passed and I tried again. \u00a0Suddenly I became afraid, \u201cperhaps I am too late and the monks will not come to the door!\u201d \u00a0Eventually a monk appeared and welcomed me, I had arrived just in time for dinner.<\/p>\n

After eating a simple meal in silence, I was invited into the Abbey church for night prayer. \u00a0I sat with the monks and sisters in an exquisite medieval church without any tourists or distractions. \u00a0They began to chant and I thought I had entered paradise. \u00a0I had never heard such beautiful voices. \u00a0That was my first encounter with the Fraternite Monastique de Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

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I spent the next three days with the monks, living in a small house in the village. \u00a0I was given my very own key into the Abbey. \u00a0In the evenings after the tourists left, I would walk around the cloister praying a rosary. \u00a0I was by myself, but certainly not alone. \u00a0I joined the monks for prayers and Mass. \u00a0I had the opportunity to walk on the ocean floor during low tide, making sure I didn\u2019t go too far out since the tide rose quickly.<\/p>\n

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The back entrance into the Abbey<\/div>\n
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View towards the village from the Abbey<\/div>\n

The experience was so powerful that I am afraid of repeating it. \u00a0I am afraid I would be disappointed if I returned and it would not be quite the same. \u00a0On Sunday after morning Mass and lunch (where we were allowed to speak) I continued my journey. \u00a0A journey that continues and I always reflect on in a special way every September 29th.<\/p>\n

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Traveling alone much of the time, I became a pro at finding the perfect place to place my camera and take a selfie.<\/div>\n
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Pictures are mine, all rights reserved.<\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

My devotion to Saint Michael the Archangel began the summer of 2000, the same year I graduated from high school. \u00a0During that summer I participated in an exchange program where I stayed with a French family in the beautiful town of Loches (near Tours). \u00a0One of the weekend trips scheduled as part of the exchange […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2533,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nSaint Michael Devotion and Memories<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"My devotion to Saint Michael the Archangel began the summer of 2000, the same year I graduated from high school. \u00a0During that summer I participated in an\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, 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