Latest Diocese Life Blog ‘Rest days are an absolutely essential part of any long trek’ Following our recent story on Worcester parishioner Frank Tota, cycling 800 miles to join the Diocesan Pilgrimage in Lourdes, he has begun sharing reflections from his incredible journey. Frank is fundraising for an overseas Medical Centre. Below Frank has captured his daily activities and highlights from day 12 to day 14. Please sponsor Frank if you can, thank you Day 14. Monday 18 May, cycling pilgrimage from Worcester to Lourdes Limoges - Thiviers 'The Dunkirk rescue' The ride was four hours long and for one hour or so the heavens opened and down came the rain. However, by the time I reached Chiviers the rain had stopped and it didn't take too long for me to dry out. I arrived at 13.00 hours but couldn't enter my lodgings until 16.00 hours, so I decided to buy a sandwich at the local express shop, much the same as a Tesco express. After eating, I decided to clean and oil my bike in readiness for tomorrow. All went well until I tried to pump more air into the back tyre. I started to take the pump's adaptor out but the pressure in the tyre blew out the valve. At that moment, Marie, my host came out of the house to put rubbish in the bin. I introduced myself and explained my bike dilemma. She then went inside to find her husband, Silvan. Together, Silvan and I changed the inner tube in my back tyre and used his foot pump to inflate the tyre. As we were working together on the bike, I asked Silvan where he was from in France and he replied, 'Dunkirk'. He and his wife Marie moved from Dunkirk two years ago and bought and renovated this lovely bed and breakfast, that I am staying in. All around their home are reminders of Dunkirk. I have posted some photographs of pictures in my room. Thiviers is a friendly, small town in the Dordogne region of France. Across the road from my lodgings is a very large former convent with a magnificent chapel which is now run as a retreat centre by the Institute of the Good Shepherd Fathers. They give retreats based on Ignatian spirituality. I know that Ignatian spirituality has been introduced very successfully into the prayer life of Blessed Edward Oldcorne Catholic College. Two years ago the parishioners from Catholic Worcester used a Lenten book based on Ignatian spirituality to prepare for Easter. It was excellent! One other feature of the Institute of the Good Shepherd Fathers is that they have Papal permission to celebrate all their Masses in the Tridentine rite. I do know that this rite is popular with some of our Catholic Worcester parishioners because they attend Tridentine Masses in the Birmingham Oratory. I don't have to find a restaurant to eat at this evening because Silvan and Marie have invited me to supper in the home. Bless them! Day 13. Sunday 17 May, cycling pilgrimage to Lourdes Rest day Yesterday evening, I found a little Moroccan restaurant named Casablanca. The owner was a proud fan of the Moroccan national football team. He was delighted to tell me that it was a fair decision to award the African Cup of Nations to his country, after Senegal walked off the pitch during the final. This morning I attended the 11am sung Mass at St Etienne's cathedral, a very old and imposing building (main photograph). I didn't know that St Etienne is St Stephens the proto-martyr. The cantor at Mass was excellent at leading the congregation in singing the responses. The organist played very quietly, which allowed the beautiful singing to be heard. After Mass, I walked around the cathedral to look at the side chapels and magnificent stained glass windows. I was delighted to find a chapel dedicated to St Vincent de Paul as I know how important his society is to our country's parishes and schools. Around the cathedral are a number of impressive Medieval buildings which are used as restaurants and homes, much like those in the centre of Worcester and other English towns. I am writing this account of my rest day in the laundrette which are a very important feature if every town. I don't know what I would do without them. Rest days are an absolutely essential part of any long trek. Day 12. Saturday 16 May, cycling pilgrimage to Lourdes Aigurande- Limoges At breakfast in my accommodation this morning, I met a French husband and wife who were evangelical Christians. We promised to pray for each other as we went our separate ways. They called me their brother in Christ, which is very true. God bless them both for expressing their love of Jesus so publicly. The terrain was very different today. For nearly the whole journey I was climbing hills and rolling down the other side. It made an agreeable change to riding through the flat lands. Limoges is situated in the foothills of the Massif Cenral. At about halfway, I stopped in a hamlet to eat some food that I had packed for the journey. I took a photo of the old well that must have been used by all the families in the hamlet. As the sun popped out, so did a green lizard. He was enjoying the warmth of the May sun. I hope that you can spot the lizard in my photograph because he has good camouflage. As I reached the outskirts of Limoges I noticed a number of Harley Davidson bikes. I think that biking in the Limousin is popular because of the many winding hill roads which would test a rider's manoeuvring skills. I'm staying for two nights in a Campanille hotel and the receptionist gave me my own parking space in the underground carpark for my trusty bike. In a short while I will leave the hotel to find a place to eat a meal. Photos from Frank's Adventure Manage Cookie Preferences