Partying Pilgrims Put Lourdes in an Uproar

[Budge]

Quote that says it all...
[size=5]
[quote]"We come here to party after being reverential all day," said Susan Clare, a 19-year-old student from south London.[/quote][/size]


[quote]
Drunk Britons shatter peace of Lourdes
By Peter Allen in Lourdes
(Filed: 20/08/2006)

For millions of pilgrims, a visit to Lourdes to take its miraculous healing waters is an intensely spiritual experience. Since Bernadette Soubirous witnessed the first of 18 apparitions of the Virgin Mary almost 150 years ago, the shrine has become a place of quiet contemplation and religious devotion.
Hail Mary or Bloody Mary? Lourdes is home to tacky gift shops and numerous bars and clubs
[font="Arial Black"]
But now the town's peace is being shattered by thousands of British tourists whose behaviour has become so bad that officials have brought in riot police. The decision to deploy officers from the notorious Compagnies Républicaines de Sécurité (CRS) came after local gendarmes admitted that they were unable to cope with the nightly excesses of British visitors who, after going to the famous shrine, take to the town's bars and clubs.[/font][size=4]

"We are carrying out late- night patrols because of the threat to public order caused by increasing numbers of night-time drinkers," a spokesman for the CRS said.

"The local gendarmes cannot cope with all the trouble, and the situation has been getting out of hand. The British are particularly fond of their drink and have been some of the worst offenders. There have been numerous complaints about their behaviour, and it cannot be tolerated."

In Lourdes's busy streets, there is plenty of evidence of alcohol-fuelled exuberance in the town's numerous bars and clubs.
[font="Arial Black"]
At Bar Angelus, a few hundred yards from the shrine, bare-chested men, and women wearing skimpy tops and crucifixes, swayed to the blaring music including Madonna's Like A Virgin and Sympathy for the Devil by the Rolling Stones.
[/font]
"We come here to party after being reverential all day," said Susan Clare, a 19-year-old student from south London.

"Some of the lads go a bit over-the-top, but none of us set out to cause trouble. It's just our way of letting off stream. It is worrying to see these elite police patrolling in their vans and on foot, but I suppose they have a job to do."

"We're just typical Brits enjoying ourselves," said Phil Cross, a 22-year-old from Manchester, who was accompanying a group of handicapped pilgrims.

"None of us mean any harm, but the situation can get a bit tense when the police take exception to what's going on. You do see a few of the older pilgrims who are still up late looking a bit worried by what's going on, but you're only young once."

Later, as the bars continued to serve cocktails at £2.50 a time, revellers were seen running across the roofs of parked cars, indulging in mock fights and vomiting into gutters. It is these types of crime, along with minor acts of vandalism and "lewd behaviour" between amorous young Roman Catholics, that dominate the nightly reports of CRS officers.

"Offenders from Britain are easy to spot because they usually all wear the same coloured T-shirts and hats," said one CRS officer. "Last week a couple sneaked into the grounds of the Rose Basilica and became very amorous in a very holy place. It's not the kind of thing other pilgrims want to see."

Since February 1858, when the first apparition was witnessed by Bernadette Soubirous, more than 200 million people have visited the south-western French town, which has a population of 15,000.

There have been 67 recognised miracles, the last involving a 41-year-old Italian woman who was suffering from severe heart disease.

However, concerns have been expressed that the commercialisation is at odds with Lourdes's importance as a religious shrine. In addition to its drinking spots, the town is home to dozens of shops selling cheap gifts and a profusion of fast-food restaurants.[/quote]

[url="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/08/20/wlourd20.xml"]LINK[/url]

Edited August 20, 2006 by Budge

[CatholicCid]

I always knew we could blame the British...

What's the point of this article? Are we debating how the British like to party too much and innapropriately?

[OLAM Dad]

Darn, I wish they would have named the club they went to. Sounds like a good place to go the next time I'm in Lourdes.

Seriously, Budge, this is nothing compared to Mardi Gras. If you really want to post a thread about people acting inappropriately at an event associated with Catholicism, you should go find some scandalizing pictures about what takes place in New Orleans and in Rio every year.

While you're at it go and visit some Catholic colleges and universities. The parties at some of these schools redefine hedonism. Oh, and go find some articles about abortions taking place in Catholic hospitals. Then once you've posted all of these things you can revisit the priest/bishop pedophilia scandal that took place here in the US recently. Of course, the Crusades always provide good anti-Catholic foder, do a Google search on them and link away.

Heck, here's something really scandalous for you. You should find an article about a monk who became heretical, left the Church and married a nun. Post that one here too. I'll give you a head start, go to Google and search on 'Martin Luther'.

My point is that none of the dirty laundry about the Church that you're posting links to is news to us Catholics. We know that there are seedy characters in and around Catholicism. Always have been, always will be. Jesus Himself said that it would be this way, why are you so surprised by it?

The good news is that the Church doesn't need its members to be holy for it to be holy. I don't know who to attribute this quote to but somebody once said that if every person in the Catholic Church was a saint then the Church would be no more holy. Likewise, if every person was a terrible sinner, the Church would be no less holy.

[dandy777]

Good one OLAM :

[IcePrincessKRS]

[quote name='dandy777' post='1046635' date='Aug 20 2006, 11:25 AM']
Good one OLAM :
[/quote]

ditto that

[Eutychus]

[quote] My point is that none of the dirty laundry about the Church that you're posting links to is news to us Catholics. We know that there are seedy characters in and around Catholicism. Always have been, always will be. Jesus Himself said that it would be this way, why are you so surprised by it?[/quote]

[b]Frankly no one is.[/b]

That is why in 1054 1/3 of the Roman Catholics left.

That is why between 1517-1600 another 40% left.

And why today, in Latin America 100,000,000 more have left.

I saw on one site somewhere in the past few months { forget where } that the FASTEST GROWING RELIGION IN AMERICA....is Ex-Roman Catholics!

Many just wink at immorality, they generally stay Catholic, others get upset at immorality, and they leave Catholicism.
[b]
[u] One wag called this "REVERSE EVOLUTION." [/u][/b]

[Budge]

[quote]
Seriously, Budge, this is nothing compared to Mardi Gras. If you really want to post a thread about people acting inappropriately at an event associated with Catholicism, you should go find some scandalizing pictures about what takes place in New Orleans and in Rio every year.[/quote]

Yeah Mardis Gras outdistances this, another pagan Catholic fest...[quote]


Heck, here's something really scandalous for you. You should find an article about a monk who became heretical, left the Church and[u] married a nun.[/u] Post that one here too. I'll give you a head start, go to Google and search on 'Martin Luther'.[/quote]

Why is that scandalous? He married her.
[quote]
My point is that none of the dirty laundry about the Church that you're posting links to is news to us Catholics. We know that there are seedy characters in and around Catholicism. Always have been, always will be. Jesus Himself said that it would be this way, why are you so surprised by it?
[/quote]

The seedy characters are RUNNING the place.

Ever wonder why Catholics are told drinking and gambling are ok?

Why Lourdes is full of tacky gift shops? [making merchandise of folks]

Doesnt look like anyone is following Gods Word there.


[quote]The good news is that the Church doesn't need its members to be holy for it to be holy. [/quote]

Let me ask you a question, is a church body, a group of people or a bunch of buildings?
[quote]


I don't know who to attribute this quote to but somebody once said that if every person in the Catholic Church was a saint then the Church would be no more holy.[size=5] Likewise, if every person was a terrible sinner, the Church would be no less holy.[/size][/quote]

Just sounds like another deceiver telling you to ignore Christ's commandment...

[size=5][size=5]Mat 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
[/size][/size]

Interesting how Catholics always come up with SLOGANS DIRECTLY against Gods Word.

Edited August 20, 2006 by Budge

[desertwoman]

I knew Braveheart was right.

[Eutychus]

[quote]Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. [/quote]

There is a GREAT PUN buried in that one.... :

[url="http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=26940"]PUN REVEALED[/url]

[Noel's angel]

I was in Lourdes less than a month ago and I didn't see any of this. The only people who were rowdy were the Italians (after winning the World Cup) and the French on Bastille night.

[Aloysius]

Eutychus fails to mention that this "fastest growing religion" of "ex-roman catholics" is a "religion" full of people who want to contracept, divorce and remarry, have premarital and extra marital sex, have abortions, and do whatever they beaver dam well please as long as they can find an ambiguous protestant denomination that won't call them on it.

Also fails to mention that at the time of the reformation, nearly the exact same numbers of latinos converted to Christianity as the deformers were able to pull out in europe, making the gross conversion rate even out.

Also fails to mention that in the years since 1054 many of the Eastern Churches returned to Sui Juris Churches in communion with Rome... one by one till only a few of this "1/3" that left remained separated. If you clump in the number of Orthodox and Catholics today you'll find that the Orthodox would make up 16% of that group. Not to mention that the Orthodox are just as opposed to your heresies as the Catholic Church is anyway, they are certainly not allies in your battle.

"By your fruits you will know them"

The Catholic Church is the single largest charitable organization in the world, even bigger than the UN. It does more good, more missionary work, gives more aid, and offers the seven corporal works of mercy to more people (which, of course, are the fruits our Lord was talking about) than you could even imagine; helping people all over the world regardless of race or religion.

The Catholic Church is the single longest lasting institution in human history. The Catholic Church is the single most consistent institution in human history. The Catholic Church built up western civilation out of the ruins of the Roman Empire from its systems of laws and international laws to its cities and sciences.

Of course those don't count as fruits, do they? Only the less than 1% of priests who have committed pedophilia. If so, then protestantism has produced the same fruits (experts agree the rate of clergy abuse is about the same accross denominational borders, it is the immoral culture from which these folks that is the root cause, not any church or denomination).

[Seven77]

Budge, have you ever been to Lourdes? I have.

The slogan of Lourdes in 2000? Christ yesterday, today and forever.

What you described is the secular town. Lourdes--the Shrine is indeed a peaceful, prayerful place where many find God. In fact, I recieved a greater personal relationship with Jesus there.

Don't diss what you don't know. That's a sin against charity.

God bless!

[jswranch]

[quote name='Eutychus' post='1046654' date='Aug 20 2006, 09:59 AM']
[b]Frankly no one is.[/b]

That is why in 1054 1/3 of the Roman Catholics left.

That is why between 1517-1600 another 40% left.

And why today, in Latin America 100,000,000 more have left.

I saw on one site somewhere in the past few months { forget where } that the FASTEST GROWING RELIGION IN AMERICA....is Ex-Roman Catholics!

Many just wink at immorality, they generally stay Catholic, others get upset at immorality, and they leave Catholicism.
[b]
[u] One wag called this "REVERSE EVOLUTION." [/u][/b]
[/quote]
Sure, I will take a leaner meaner Catholic Church than the uncaring, lipservice catholics that seem to give others a bad name. My hope is they repent and follow their faith. Please tell me you do not think Catholics are the only Christians living immoral lives.

If you want to find Catholics who ignore their faith and just show up for mass for entertainment/nostalgia, you can find them.

If you want to find Catholics who live their and strive to grow and live for Christ, you can find them also.

[Lahecil]

[quote]I saw on one site somewhere in the past few months { forget where } that the FASTEST GROWING RELIGION IN AMERICA....is Ex-Roman Catholics![/quote]
I didn't know "Ex-Roman Catholics" was a religion. The fastest growing religion (in terms of percentage) is Wicca. Numbers of adherents went from 8,000 in 1990 to 134,000 in 2001. Their numbers of adherents are doubling about every 30 months. However, you are right, Roman Catholics did lose the greatest number in 2001, 9.5 million. They did, however, gain 4.3 million converts. That means 5.2 million LESS. That's not really a lot higher, than Baptists for example, who gained 4.4 million, but lost 4.6 million. And according to the survey (link at the end) the largest amount of people were not switching from one religion to another, but instead to no religion at all.

[url="http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_prac2.htm"]http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_prac2.htm[/url]

It's not just Roman Catholicism...Christianity as a whole is taking a big hit in the past few years.

[Anthony]

[quote name='OLAM Dad' post='1046619' date='Aug 20 2006, 09:06 AM']
Darn, I wish they would have named the club they went to. Sounds like a good place to go the next time I'm in Lourdes.

Seriously, Budge, this is nothing compared to Mardi Gras. If you really want to post a thread about people acting inappropriately at an event associated with Catholicism, you should go find some scandalizing pictures about what takes place in New Orleans and in Rio every year.

While you're at it go and visit some Catholic colleges and universities. The parties at some of these schools redefine hedonism. Oh, and go find some articles about abortions taking place in Catholic hospitals. Then once you've posted all of these things you can revisit the priest/bishop pedophilia scandal that took place here in the US recently. Of course, the Crusades always provide good anti-Catholic foder, do a Google search on them and link away.

Heck, here's something really scandalous for you. You should find an article about a monk who became heretical, left the Church and married a nun. Post that one here too. I'll give you a head start, go to Google and search on 'Martin Luther'.

My point is that none of the dirty laundry about the Church that you're posting links to is news to us Catholics. We know that there are seedy characters in and around Catholicism. Always have been, always will be. Jesus Himself said that it would be this way, why are you so surprised by it?

The good news is that the Church doesn't need its members to be holy for it to be holy. I don't know who to attribute this quote to but somebody once said that if every person in the Catholic Church was a saint then the Church would be no more holy. Likewise, if every person was a terrible sinner, the Church would be no less holy.
[/quote]


[quote name='Budge' post='1046656' date='Aug 20 2006, 11:00 AM']
Yeah Mardis Gras outdistances this, another pagan Catholic fest...

Why is that scandalous? He married her.
The seedy characters are RUNNING the place.

Ever wonder why Catholics are told drinking and gambling are ok?

Why Lourdes is full of tacky gift shops? [making merchandise of folks]

Doesnt look like anyone is following Gods Word there.
Let me ask you a question, is a church body, a group of people or a bunch of buildings?
Just sounds like another deceiver telling you to ignore Christ's commandment...

[size=5][size=5]Mat 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
[/size][/size]

Interesting how Catholics always come up with SLOGANS DIRECTLY against Gods Word.
[/quote]

Read previous posts b/c once again you pointed out the fault of a few people, not the Catholic Church. The Church is One, Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. The Church is perfect, the people aren't.

[quote name='Eutychus' date='Aug 20 2006, 11:04 AM' post='1046660']
There is a GREAT PUN buried in that one.... :

[url="http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=26940"]PUN REVEALED[/url]
[/quot

Haha! That's a knee slapper. Your funny Euchychus. You should do stand up!



Your so [mod]please refrain from name calling -777[/mod], you know that don't you.